Maurice André A travers les vents et marées de sa brillante carrière, Maurice André est demeuré tel qu’en lui-même, un homme simple et généreux, un artiste consciencieux et attentif à son public. Né à Alès en 1933, il a vécu la dure existence des mineurs de fond. Puis, ses dons l’ont conduit au Conservatoire National de Paris où il obtient les premiers prix de cornet et de trompette. En 1955, il remporte le fameux Concours International de Genève et est, en 1963, lauréat du Concours International de Munich. Maurice André a mené depuis la vie itinérantes des grands concertistes, veillant toujours à faire aimer des mélomanes cet instruments pour lequel il a tant fait. Nommé en 1967 professeur au Conservatoire National de Paris, il a formé la plus brillante école de trompette du monde et ce faisant, a déclenché la renaissance d’un répertoire baroque et classique oublié, tout en encourageant la création de nombreuses oeuvres contemporaines. On se souviendra aussi que Maurice André a révélé au public le célèbre concerto de Hummel, resté dans les cartons d’une bibliothèque jusqu’en 1958. Jamais autant qu’avec Maurice André, le chant de la trompette ne s’est rapproché des accents de la voix humaine, tour à tour puissant ou léger, rayonnant ou dramatique.

Biography :

MAURICE ANDRE, Maurice André was born in Alès, France, on the 21st May 1933. At the age of 14, Maurice André became a miner like his father, who began to teach him to play the trumpet at the same time. His talent soon became apparent and he was accepted at the Paris Conservatory. He studied under Sabarich from 1951, receiving the first prize for the cornet and for the trumpet after his first and second years of study. From 1953-1960, he played trumpet solo for the Lamoureux Orchestra, for the French Radio Orchestre Philarmonique from 1953-1962 and for the Opéra-Comique from 1962-1967. After winning first prize at both the Geneva International Music Competition in 1955 and the Munich International Music Competition in 1963, he began his career as a soloist, which took him to Gemany, England, Scandinavia, and North and South America. In 1967 he succeeded Sabarich at the Paris Conservatory, where he introduced the piccolo trumpet as part of their baroque curriculum. He taught over one hundred trumpet players, most notably Bernard Soustrot and Guy Touvron. Maurice André has enriched the repertoire of his instrument with numerous transcriptions from opera arias, and a diverse selection of works spanning from La Mère Michel to songs from the 1990s and works by Michel Legrand. André has commissioned over 30 new works and many composers have written for him including Boris Blacher Concerto for trumpet (1971); Charles Chaynes; Jean-Claude Eloy Fluctuance-immuable (1977); Henri Gagnebin Concertino for trumpet and organ; Raymond Gallois-Montbrun; Harald Genzmer Sonate for trumpet and organ; André Jolivet Arioso barocco (1968) and Heptade (1971); Bernard Krol, Marcel Landowski Cahier pour quatre jours (1978); Jean Langlais Chorals for trumpet and organ; Raymond Loucheur; Antoine Tisné Heraldique ; Henri Tomasi Semaine sainte B Curzo and Julien-François Zbinden Dialogue for trumpet and organ. Maurice André records exclusively for EMI Classics. His extensive discography includes a disc of concertos with the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra, including those by Haydn and Hummel. In February 1996, EMI Classics released Baroque en Famille, on which he was joined by his children Nicolas and Beatrice in recordings of popular Baroque concertante works. The same group of soloists also recorded an album of arrangements of some of Gershwin's best known melodies, which was released by EMI Classics in May 1996. Future plans include an album of seasonal Christmas music from around the world, together with Michel Legrand, for release in October 1998.